Dear Readers,

A couple of months ago, I uploaded a series of chapters that I titled "Witch." It received a strong response, so I naturally started writing more of the story. Since I'm almost done the novel, I wanted to upload a fourth part.

Feel free to voice your opinions and constructive criticism. It can only make the story better.

It will be uploaded to Amazon as an e-book after I'm done posting it here for your reading pleasure.

Leslie
.
.

The Hidden Witch. Part Four

.
Becky and I looked at the fairies yelling and dashing away. One moment they are there, and with the blink of an eye, they were gone.

I reached for Becky’s hand. “What do you think?”

Becky looked at me. “Do you think we should be scared?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. What do you think could scare the Fairies?”

Becky looked around. “Obviously, something that makes them run for cover. Did they think they were going to be hurt? Is it like a Mom coming to spank you?”

I shrugged. “I really don’t know. They fled in that “run for your lives!” kinda move. So what kills Fairies?”

“So many ways to die. But I’m not sure it's wise to take the time to have this discussion. Maybe we should get back through the door.”

I nodded in agreement.

Becky looked at the solid door. “How about if I leave my iPhone set up out here and we can see what happens?”

“Will it even work here? And you might be out of an iPhone.”

I looked around. “Well, I get the feeling that we'd better move. Whatever scares Fairies is starting to scare me.” I helped Becky secure her phone and turn it on. I was surprised when she got a signal! We set it to record in FaceTime and slipped behind the solid door. Our Familiars came with us.

I looked at Luna. “No heroes. You stay with us. But what do you think it is that they are running from?”

Luna stared. ‘No clue. I can’t see eating them. They are so tiny. But ask those same questions to Pumpkin. She was the one who recognized them for what they are.’

I turned to the orange tabby. “Okay. What do you know about Fairies?

Pumpkin looked at me. ‘It’s been a long time since I saw Fairies.’

Becky blurted out. “Here? Where’s here?”

Pumpkin seemed to smile. ‘Your Zone seems to be attached to something bigger. And this might connect with other lands, like the Devil’s lands. A couple of demons and I went there on a lark, you know, just to see what it was all about. Everybody called it the Territory.’

Suddenly, a different voice joined us. ‘Pumpkin, when you were exploring, was there any danger?’

I looked around at the sound of that voice. ‘Hi, Mom.’

Pumpkin answered respectfully. ‘No, Mrs. Bradford. We were only on the fringe of this Territory. Back then, I wondered if the really bad places might be deep in the mountains. We could see that they were covered with dark clouds, storms, thunder, and lightning.’

I listened as Mom started cross-examining Pumpkin. Becky and I looked at each other and listened.

‘Mrs. Bradford, we only stepped onto that land a few feet. But that’s when the fairies appeared.’

‘Pumpkin, are these the fairies that we’ve been talking to?’

‘No. The ones that I saw were much bigger. The size of a softball.’

I wondered aloud. ‘If they have the power to grow, why did they shrink for us?’

Mom answered. ‘If they were bigger, they might scare you off. Instead, they’re tiny glowing dots that could be mistaken for anything. But certainly not frightening. You welcomed them to get closer.’

All I could do was shake my head. ‘Uh-oh. I can see where this is going. I started all of this by welcoming them.’

‘And they asked you for salt, then sugar.’

‘Right. But was this an elaborate con job? I don’t get it.’

As we were talking, I stood there and listened. I could hear the flapping of large wings, lots of them in the distance. I leaned against the door and heard scraping. Then everything was silent again.

I looked at Becky’s phone, and it showed the same view we had when we set it up. I opened the door a tiny bit. Nothing was there, and I poked my head out. Nothing. Just the fresh air and a soft wind blowing through the
trees.

Becky loudly shouted, ‘Anna, grab my phone, and come back in. Make sure the door is tightly secured. You have to see this.’

I did what she said and grabbed the phone. We restarted the transmission.

From what I could see on the little screen, those had been wings I heard. But they appeared as blurs in the video. “We need to hook this to a computer and study the images more closely.”

Mom sounded interested. “Let’s send a copy to Walter in the Library. We do know that there was more than one winged thing. What happened to your bowl and the shiny objects?”

I stuck my head out the door and looked around. “Nothing. Bowl and bits are all gone.” But then, when I turned back towards the door, I saw something. I bent to pick it up. It was a strangely shaped lump of silver. “Uh, I found one piece of what looks like tarnished silver. It looks like a piece of an old spoon.”

Mom immediately shouted. ‘Leave it! Don’t bring it in!’

I dropped it like it was hot. Shrugging, I went back inside. ‘We really don’t know much, do we?’

Mom sounded calm now that I was safely inside. ‘I’ll meet you outside on the patio.’

We stood there waiting.

Mom made a good point. “We know a lot. We know that fairies came to see you. We know that they wanted something from you, and in return, they brought you bits of metal. Based on the piece you found, it was old and tarnished.”

“Why’d you tell me to drop it?”

Mom shook her head. “If you brought it back inside through your head, it would have created a path inside for anyone who wanted to follow it. We need to ask ourselves who would want a direct connection into your brain?”

Walter and Polly appeared. Walter frowned. “Demons, possibly the Devil, would love a path deep inside your head. I think the answer is simple. The fairies robbed those bits of metal. Based on what Luna said about your door and arch being connected to other places, my guess is that whoever they stole from was reclaiming their treasure. Crows like shiny objects. We’ll have to work on your video and see what we can find.”

“Those sounded like pretty big wings.”

‘Some demons have wings. I’ve seen creatures like that.’ Pumpkin was turning out to be a wealth of knowledge.

Polly gave an order. ‘Bring up food from the kitchen. We need to feed our Familiars. They have earned it.’

It was finally game day. I proudly wore my soccer shirt to class. As I walked the halls, lots of kids wished me luck. My excitement built until I was dressed and on the field.

Becky and I did some warm-up laps. I was shaking. ‘I’m freaking out. Seriously, my nerves are popping.’

Before Becky could answer, Coach Howard called us in. “We’re going to do some drills and shake off our pregame nerves. Scream and yell all you want. We’ll get our heads in the game and be ready to go soon enough. Look around and see where we are.”

We looked at the stands and watched people choosing seats. It was unreal.

“We are winners getting ready to play. I want you to concentrate for every second. The winning team will keep their heads on straight and remember how we got here. We played our game.”

We drilled for fifteen minutes and then hydrated. We gathered around our bench. We were playing on the University of Chicago's soccer field. We were surrounded by students and parents. It was noisy.

The coach talked very quietly, so we had to strain to listen. “It’s a long game, so don’t blow up in the first minutes on the field. Play smart. If they try to blitz our goal, let them in, and we’ll be ready for a breakaway. Remember, they’re as nervous as we are. Let them tire themselves out early, so we’ll still have juice in the tank for the second half.”

I glanced across the field and looked at all the faces of the other team. But I sensed something unnatural. ‘Mom! What’s Derek doing?’

I heard her laugh. ‘He’s just opening up his shields a bit. He’s just focusing on their bench.’

I watched a number of them sit down on their bench or on the grass. ‘Ask him to stop, please. Let’s just see if we can win this on our own.’

They charged us hard when the whistle blew. We played one-on-one, slowing down the momentum and eliminating the big pass. Out of nowhere, Becky took the ball away and neatly passed it back to our goalie, who snapped it out over midfield. We had them scrambling backwards, while I passed to Olivia. As she moved forward, River, Becky, and I flanked their defense. We got off two shots on goal, but their goalie was amazing. It was like she was reading our minds. No matter where we shot it, she was there.

‘Mom, is she a Witch?’

There was silence. Then Mom talked quietly. ‘Her Father is a Warlock. Her Mom is human. It does look like she has some skills and reads your reflexes. But she can’t hear us talking.’

I sent my Mom a request.

We were playing a methodical defensive game. On our second attack downfield, I charged straight at her, using my calm to search out a weakness. She broke slower to her left. I acted like I was taking a shot to her left, but passed to Olivia, who rushed the goal with a short shot.

I was watching, watching for a rebound, when their goalie looked disoriented. If you hadn’t been looking in her eyes, you would never have known Derek had thrown a bit of his pheromones her way.

She was a half-step behind Olivia’s shot, and it went in.

1-0

I looked up at the clock, surprised that so much time had passed.

They came out swarming our defense again. Becky was amazing and anticipated their passing, stealing it away several times. We were already on a breakaway when it fell directly in front of River, who snapped off a shot that the goalie blocked, sending it back out to Olivia. She faked a shot, passing it back to me. Without thinking, I slammed the ball into the left side of the goal, watching as it went in.

Two of their defenders took me out, and I felt something bad happen behind my knee. I crumpled to the ground, rolling in agony. While they called time, I did my best to heal my stretched tendon and muscle. I stood with our trainer's help, trying to stretch it out. While the trainer kept telling me to take it easy, I was soothing the pain internally and was helped off the field.

I turned to the ref. “I want to keep playing.”

She shook her head. “You could do some serious damage to that knee.” She pointed to the bleeding. “Go get patched up and we’ll see.”

2-0

From my point of view of sitting on the bench, the second half was a disaster. They came back and scored three times. I was feeling helpless. My knee felt good enough to pace the sidelines.

2-3

Finally! The ref let me in, and we scored again on Becky’s corner kick. It was hard to give credit because we were all wailing away. I know I was pushed at the goalie in hopes of getting a stoppage of play. But the ball went in, and I hit the outside of the net pole.

3-3

A championship can’t end in a tie. Middle schools don’t have overtime periods. Each team gets alternative shots on goal, five in the first round. If one team has one more score than the other, the game is over.

River started, and their goalie blocked her neatly.

The other team was blocked out, too. This went on with Becky and Silver both taking shots. Becky’s shot went in, giving us one.

1-0

But their best foot scored on us, too.

1-1

Now, I was the fifth kicker. If I made it, we’d win. If I were blocked, we’d keep taking kicks. I secluded myself away from everyone behind the bench and closed all my screens, so no one could hear me.

I had an idea and got Doug’s attention. ‘Hey, little guy. How ya doin?’

‘Little guy! Why are you calling me little? Shut up, girl!’

‘Well, Dougie. When I turn fifteen next month, I can bring you along or leave you behind. You want to help us out today?’

‘Don’t blackmail me, Anna. I watched over you for fourteen years. Sure, I’m not happy being discarding like I don’t count. But the guilt is on you.’

‘Doug, I’m sorry. It was never my doing. And now I need your help. Their goalie has enough Witch blood in her to see what you’re thinking when anyone shoots a goal. I’ve studied her enough and she’s got a weak left side. She knows I’m going there to score. How about if you do the talking and I’ll take the shot?’

‘Huh? What’s that mean?’

‘She reads the shooter mind.’

‘Cool. What can I do?’

I outlined the plan, and then it was time to step up and take my shot. After the ref blew the whistle, I held back long enough for Doug to start shouting, ‘Left, left. Go left. Take her weak side. Left, left!’

I knew that she could hear Doug’s cries as I opened my screens and watched as she shifted her weight to defend to the left. While she was sure I was shooting left. I aimed into the right corner. I got it off quickly enough for her to wonder what happened as she watched the ball whip past her into the goal.

2-1

That was it! As we lined up to shake hands, their goalie held my hand a bit longer. She looked me in the face. “How’d you do that? I heard you thinking left, but you ended up going the other way. That’s not how it’s supposed to work!”

I shrugged. “Anticipating my shot is simply watching my tells and guessing a probability. It’s not like you’re a mind reader, right?”

She shrugged never wanting to admit that she’s telepathic and cheating.

I finished shaking everyone’s hand, and then we gathered around our coach, hugging and cheering. As we did, I said to Doug, ‘See. You were part of the game, scoring a goal. You are a champion, a state champion! How about that!’

‘Anna, thank you for asking for my help. I’ve been feeling pretty depressed since I was replaced. But I get it. Just don’t forget Big Doug.’

‘Okay, big guy. From now on, we’re best friends forever.’

When our parents swarmed around, my Father picked me up with a big hug and a twirl.

“Anna, I am so proud of you. You looked great out there. You really are an important part of this team. All the other players really respect and look to you for direction. You’re a leader.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you came to watch today. It was all pretty great.”

My Father smiled. “That was a very clever shot you had in the tiebreaker. I know that goalie’s father. It’s a shame she’s never met him. But that’s a rule. When a Warlock breeds with a human, they can never reveal themselves. So your goalie doesn’t know why she can read minds, nor that she’s half Witch.”

“Father, I guess I’m the lucky one because I know you and Mom.”

At that point, Mom and Derek also joined us, and then it became a love-in. A few minutes later, I waved goodbye to my family as we all boarded the team bus. We were going to go celebrate. Of course, I had to promise that Pumpkin and Luna would stand guard and eat later.

.
.

Chapter Thirty-Three
.
Because the game was played on a Friday, we really didn’t get to see anybody until school on Monday. As soon as I sat down in first-period class, a student handed our teacher a note. She looked up and smiled.

“Becky. You and Anna need to report to the gym now. Take everything with you.”

It didn’t take us long to gather the whole team in the gym. The Coach looked at us. “Follow me, champions.” Coach Howard led us to the auditorium and directed us to sit in folding chairs on the stage. I wanted to be in the back row. The curtains were closed, so no one could see us, but we could hear the auditorium filling up with students.

When the curtains opened, we were staring at the whole school, not just the ninth and tenth graders. The principal stood at a small lectern on the right-hand side.

He leaned over the microphone. “Students, it is my pleasure to introduce the Group A Ohio State Champion Junior Varsity Soccer Team. These young women bested all the teams to win the Roberts Trophy, which will now take its place in our beautiful showcase.”

Coach Howard, who’d been standing to our far left, smiled. “Okay, team. Stand up and wave. You’ve earned it.”

As everyone in the auditorium stood up and cheered, I turned to my teammates with tears in my eyes. This was the most amazing moment of my very short life. I shut my screens and talked to Doug.

‘This is for you, big boy. You earned it with your move.’

‘Thank you, sis. I appreciate you thinking of me. It’s pretty cool standing here with you. This is a big school. Wow! But you know something.’

‘What?’

‘I showed you my Zone. And look where that’s taken us.’

‘Doug, did you know all about how your Zone connects to other places?’

‘Nope. It was just a quiet place to settle my nerves and collect my thoughts. It’s turned out to be pretty special, huh?’

‘Uh-huh, it has. I’m glad that you’ve been with me for the whole ride. I really am. You’re good company.’

Doug laughed. ‘You know, no one else knows you like I do. And I’ve been witness to your whole life and all your thoughts, too.’

‘Oh.’ My make-out session with Greg came to mind.

‘Yeah, I was there. That was very strange. A bit uncomfortable sitting in his lap and feeling him press against you. But I knew how much you liked it.’

I was blushing. ‘How about when Becky and I make out and all?’

‘I like that. Becky is very beautiful and wonderful to you, too.’

At that point, Becky stood right in front of me. I opened my shields and hugged her. ‘I was just talking to Doug. He helped me fool their goalie.’

‘Hi, Doug. I feel like I know you really well. I love Anna.’

‘Doug can’t really answer. He’s just part of my mind and doesn’t have the power to speak independently. He did tell me that he thought you were beautiful.’

‘Thank you, Doug. You are very kind.’

At that point, Coach Howard led us out of the auditorium, and we headed towards the cafeteria. We never got there; instead, we walked into a carpeted, special area on the other side of the kitchen. We were lined up against the wall and shook hands with the entire school board, the Superintendent, and the Governor. He had two State Policemen with him as body-guards.

After the important people spoke, we were invited to have lunch. Becky and I sat at the table with the Superintendent and the school board president. The Governor came around and shook our hands. He waved goodbye and left.

Lunch was real food. Naturally, the ladies in the cafeteria showed off their skills with a big green salad, roasted vegetables, and chicken. I tried my best to remember to eat slowly and chew with my mouth closed. I jokingly said that I wasn’t used to eating without rushing to my next class.

“No rush today, Anna Bradford. After this, we install the trophy, and you’re heading to the sports center for a free afternoon of whatever you want to do.”

All I wanted to do was get into a batting cage and learn to hit a softball. I knew the transition from hardball to softball would be an adjustment. I wanted to be ready for tryouts in early Spring.

After getting hot and sweaty, Mom picked a bunch of us up and delivered us to our homes. Without a doubt, it was the best school day ever.

As we were pulling into the driveway, we stopped and waited for the garage doors to open. Mom turned to me. “They’ve analyzed the silver you found.”

“How’d they get it back to the Library without going through my head?”

Mom smiled. “Luna and Pumpkin brought it to the Library. Pumpkin gets around very well in the Territory.”

“What was it?”

“A button.”

“A button? How old is it?”

“Almost a thousand years ago. There were buttons or knobs just like this recovered from the Vikings. What the fairies tried to leave you is very old.”

“Where do you think they got a bowl full of metal trinkets?”

“Pumpkin says they stole them. She said that all fairies are thieves and don’t see property belonging to anyone. So they merely brought you what they thought that you’d like.”

I shrugged. “This is getting pretty complicated. It sounds like that beyond my Zone is a whole world.”

Mom looked ahead as she drove the car into the big garage. I heard the doors roll closed behind us. Then she turned to me. “It’s a mystery that Pumpkin knows more about than our scientists.”

“Well, we know that our Familiars are thousands of years old, and the silver button is very old in terms of human existence. I think Walter should talk to some of our Familiars to see what they know. Seriously, they have been around before maybe people existed.”

Mom smiled as we walked from the garage to the steps.

I turned to her. “No elevator?”

“I thought we could talk together for a little while longer, just you and me.”

“Okay, so I have a question. You said that Pumpkin knows another way into the Zone and then into what you called the Territory. Are the Witches going to venture into there, or is it more of a leave well enough alone type of logic?”

I watched Mom shrug. “We would have remained ignorant of everything without you exposing all of this through your Zone. We’ve talked to Pumpkin, and she’s shared a lot about those lands. But we’re wary of mounting an exploration, fearing we might be bringing something back that we’d regret.”

“So we pretend that it doesn’t exist? Like burying our heads in the sand.”

Mom looked at me sharply. “Well, I think the whole Coven has more to lose than a fourteen-year-old. I think they’re afraid to go too fast.”

I shook my head. “Okay, I get it. They’d rather be cautious than foolhardy. Makes sense to an adult, but a fourteen-year-old wants to leap forward.”

Mom took my hand and led me into a quiet area. “Right. Well, from what I’ve seen, you do a good job of taking care of yourself. I’ve never seen anyone roast a demon by squeezing it. And I’ve never seen the essence of a demon like the thing you stepped on. You have moved Witch science along pretty quickly. And those scrolls you translated, well, there’s more going on in your brain then we can imagine. When I saw you go into a trance and translate, it was clear there was more happening. I think that you are connected to a central hub that’ helping you.”

I found a chair and sat down. “Okay, so my fingerprints are all over these discoveries. And why is it that I’m so special that demons and I are connected?”

Mom sat next to me and wrapped her arms around me. “And I thought my life was boring, hiding for fourteen years in upstate New York. Doug was a great joy, but Doug was not enchanted. You are. And you seem to be connected to a lot more of the world than I ever knew existed. The oddest thing is that you seem to be doing okay.”

“When I hugged the demon who possessed Gladys, it was all over in a flash. I didn’t give it much thought, and the heat that cooked it just happened. I didn’t think about it. Do you think that other demons are starting to wonder? Am I a threat?”

Mom nodded. “I think that you scare demons now because they’re wondering what you can do. No demon wants to die, but demons have their own set of rules. And we don’t know how powerful that demon was. I think Gladys was in control.”

“Speaking of Gladys, how’s she doing?”

Mom frowned. “She’s on life support. Polly has brought in a lot of doctors, and no one seems to be able to bring her back to consciousness.”

I shook my head. “Maybe I can help.”

Suddenly, Polly’s voice rang out. ‘NO! It’s too dangerous! I don’t want my only granddaughter risking contact with her.’

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know what the relationship with the demon was and whether she possessed the demon and used it, or it was the other way around. I don’t want to take the chance that Gladys could grab possession of you. She still wants to seek revenge.’

‘Polly, how do you keep her from taking over anyone that is in there to help her?’

‘We’ve built a modified Faraday cage to contain all her powers. She can’t use her strength unless we turn the cage off.’

‘What keeps her alive?’

‘Hate. She’s determined to destroy you. She had believed that by living with a demon, she would have more strength and could do whatever she pleased. You really struck a blow when she witnessed you destroying her demon. I know some of her died when you exerted your power.’

‘I want to see her.’

I didn’t hear anything back from Polly, and I finished on the steps and entered the big living room. Then suddenly, her voice rang out.

‘Okay. I’ll allow you to see her, but we still keep her contained. I don’t know what that will do, but it certainly will be better than just looking at her unconscious form. I’ll meet you at the doors to the Library.’

Mom and I walked down into the subterranean levels and saw Polly waiting.

She smiled and pointed. “This way. She’s far from the real scrolls and all our documents. We’re keeping her in a guarded area where she wouldn’t be able to escape.”

“I thought you said that she was unconscious.”

“Well, I don’t trust her. Her unconsciousness might be a ploy.”

I turned to Polly. “Is there a danger of the three of us going in there together? Isn’t that what she wants?”

“It is. We’re going to press her buttons and she if that doesn’t wake her up.”

“And this cage?”

“It’s the best we’ve got. But we have other measures that she doesn’t know about. So let’s see what happens.”

We all walked through large doors and massive walls. I knew there were cameras everywhere, and I imagined guards everywhere. “Who’s guarding her?”

“We’ve got a team of Witches, Warlocks, and Vampires helping us out here. Hopefully, that will be enough.”

It looked like a science fiction movie. The room wasn’t large, and the cage surrounded her on all sides, floors and ceilings, too. As we got closer, I could see that the cage was inside a thick glass prison, too. Polly saw me studying it.

“Everything we did is to keep her contained. We can even pump her cube with halon gas, which will eliminate her oxygen.”

Damn, I thought. This is real.

Gladys was lying on a mattress on the floor. There was nothing else in there. “Food? Water? How do you clean the place?”

“Well, she hasn’t been here that long, but we occasionally flood the place. She hasn’t woken up or drowned.”

I stood there in front of Mom and Polly. ‘Hi, Gladys. Remember me?’

Suddenly, we all heard her scream. ‘No shit, you little snot. Of course, I remember you. And while I didn’t kill you the last time I tried, I will execute you and your mother right in front of Polly!’

‘How about now, Gladys? No one’s stopping you.’

Her scream almost burst my eardrums. We all left the confines of her hospital prison.
.
.

Chapter Thirty-Four
.

After going upstairs and showering off the sweat of working out in the batting cages, I felt better. After our spontaneous visit to Polly’s sister, I was still sweating. I stood in the shower, letting the hot water run over me as I thought about my situation.

After I dried off, I called Becky.

We talked for a while about our day, I started telling her about my conversations with Mom and Polly and our visit to Gladys. “I think I need to solve some of these unknowns myself. Going out of my Zone and standing under the arch could still be dangerous, but I believe I need to go.”

Becky listened. “I’m not sure. I wasn’t there when you blew up the demon.”

“Yeah, well, it’s getting really frustrating. No one could definitively tell me what creature was flapping its wings and chasing my fairies. It seemed like answers could be found by going out and into the Territory. But that was also a big no from Mom.”

“Well, as far as school goes, everything is good. I’m glad you contacted me. Tuesday should be a normal school day. But I wanted to talk with you.”

“Why?”

“Boys! We are celebrities, and we’re going to be asked out. From now on I need to dress properly.”

“Properly?”

“Well, I guess it’s jeans and a top, but I want to look my best. I’m putting my hair up before I go to bed. And then I need to pick out the best underwear.’

“Yeah, great. I will, too. But…”

“But, what?”

“I’m getting worn out. I feel like I’m being pulled from all sides. Polly and her research team have been all over me, wanting to use me as a guinea pig. They want me to translate indecipherable scrolls from long ago. These things are so disgusting. They’re written in blood on human skin.”

“That’s so gross! Can you get diseases from them?”

“Fortunately, no. I don’t have other touch the actual scrolls. I just read from a photo image. They take a lot of precautions, not for me, but for the scrolls. And now, noone will tell me what they discovered or even what they think is happening. But that doesn’t stop them from using me to do more. I hate being lied to, and believe Walter is holding back. I hadn’t heard from anybody since I translated the scrolls. And even though more scientists and librarians have visited, nobody wants to share their hypothesis.”

“Totally not fair! “Well, I don’t have an answer for you. I think you should cut them all off. No more interviews, no more help, nothing. Just come out and tell them that there should be a two-way street of cooperation. They need you more than you need them.”

“Yeah. I like that. I can wield some power!”

“And then, each Sunday, Polly and my Father are training me to expand my Witchy powers. Which is cool but totally exhausting and scary.”

“And as much as I enjoyed it, the soccer team moved me up to the front and encouraged me to take a leadership role. I like it, but it’s so much pressure.”

“Yeah, but at least you like doing that, and you get some satisfaction. You should do more that you like and help yourself.”

“Hmm. Maybe you’re right. I should spend more time on my studies, dates, and maybe some more trips to the batting cages.”

“That’s the spirit. Now, here’s what I’m wearing tomorrow.”

Before I went to bed, Mom sat on my bed, and we talked. I shared how I was feeling and told her Becky’s idea of cutting off ties with all the scientists.

“Does that mean that you’re going to avoid the Zone?”

“No. I’m going to continue using the Zone, but I’m not going out the door under the arch.”

Mom nodded. “Well, here’s some news. You know that button Luna brought back for us?”

I nodded.

“Well, it’s in the Library inside a Faraday cage just like the room where Gladys is kept. There’s recorded evidence that it’s been visited several times a day by some form of demon.”

“Do they have video?”

“The video has been blurred. But they have sound recordings. No one doubts that it’s been demons. For some reason, the spirits just can’t let this go.”

“So there’s more to this button than we know. I say we dive deep into analyzing this button. Maybe there's a link
that might be important.”

Mom looked at me. “Do you want me to share this conversation?”

“Sure. Because what we have is a two-way street. You and I are talking. But tell them that I need to become a full partner in all of this, or nothing for them.”

Finally, a day in school quieted my nerves. And Becky was right. We were the stars of the day and lots of people were being nice instead of just staring. Between classes, an upper-class man approached Becky and me. He was smiling. We stopped, and he reached out his hand.

“I’m Bill, and I wanted to congratulate the two of you on winning the state championship. I play varsity soccer and understand just how hard you worked.”

Becky smiled. “You mean you’re not going to tell me that the girls have it so much easier?”

Bill laughed. “That’s rude. No, that’s certainly not true. I might have mass and bulk strength over you, but you guys are playing on a level field and beat out everyone. I even heard the rumor that their goalie could read minds.”

I laughed. “Obviously, not ours.”

Bill hesitated for a minute and looked at us both. “Hey, I know this sounds lame, but can we talk more about soccer after school? My treat for fries.” He turned to me. “And yes, we have all heard about your ketchup thing.” He grinned.

As the first bell rang, he waved goodbye, telling us where his car was parked.

As we walked to class, Becky looked at me. ‘I just hope it’s not another Volvo station wagon.’

After school, Bill and another guy were waiting in front of a dark blue Jeep. It was one of the older two-door versions, not the big expensive ones. Bill immediately introduced us to Phil and asked if we minded going together as a foursome. “Phil’s our goalie, and he wanted to pick your brain on how you managed to get past the championship team like that.”

Becky smiled. ‘Who do you want to sit next to? Personally, I like Bill, but I’m not choosy. I do think he’s going to be a good kisser.’

‘I know! Let’s blow their minds and tell them the truth. We’ll tell them that the goalie’s Father is a Warlock, and she gets her skills honestly. We should also tell them that we’re Witches.’

Becky was trying to suppress a laugh. ‘Love the idea, but are we looking to destroy their lives like we did Kelly and his new boyfriend?’

‘No, not really. But those guys deserved what they got. Any guy who underestimates me and uses drugs and alcohol to get in my pants needs to reevaluate his life choices. It’s a shame we couldn’t make them impotent, too.’

Becky shook her head. ‘Anna! You are cruel. Imagine never having an orgasm again!’

I climbed into the back seat with Phil. I have to mention that I immediately noticed that the back seat of this Jeep was much smaller than the front. We were squeezed together, but I hate to admit that I liked it. I tried not to sound like a kid, but I was getting off on the pheromones these guys were producing.

I messaged Becky. ‘Are you feeling their pheromones?’

‘Well, maybe a little. You?’

‘Yep. But I’m jammed in close to Phil. Maybe you should have chosen him before we started.’

Becky was laughing. ‘No trades, you whore. This one is mine!’

I had to stop talking to Becky and tune back into a conversation with Phil. He was telling me how he decided to be their goalie.

Bill drove us to a burger place, and we all climbed out and went inside. The place smelled good and reminded me of milkshakes and fried food.

“Oh, this place smells good, like onion rings.”

Phil looked at me carefully. “Hard to believe that you have a big appetite. You’re so delicate looking.”

I looked at him and laughed. “Nope. I’m solid. No bird bones here.” The two guys gave me my own plate for my pile of fries because of my ketchup addiction. I smiled as they watched me eat.

Phil was nibbling on his fries. I gestured to the pool of ketchup on my plate. “Wanna taste?”

Phil’s eyes opened wide, and I could see the look in his eyes. I knew that I needed to slow down before I gave him the wrong impression. “Ketchup, Phil, ketchup. This isn’t even a date.”

Phil smiled and dipped a fry into my ketchup. I watched him tentatively nibble on it. As he was eating, he smiled. “Uh, speaking of dates, how about going to the movies with me on Friday?”

Dang, I thought. And this was only Monday! I was interested in kissing those lips before that. But then, Becky injected, ‘Chill, girl! You’re going to frighten off the poor boy. He has no idea of what you’re capable of doing.’

I smiled. “Sure,that sounds like fun. But how old are you?”

Phil smiled. “Sixteen. And you?”

“My fifteenth birthday is next month. So you won’t be robbing the cradle.”

Becky chimed in. “I’m already fifteen.”

We did talk about soccer and swapped tales of what we looked for in our matches. It was fun, and I found those guys easy to talk to. When they dropped us off at Polly’s place, they were freaked out over how big and expensive the place looked. As I went to get out of the car, I wrapped my arms around Phil’s neck and kissed him. “Thanks. That was fun. Maybe this should hold you until Friday.”

Becky gave her guy a peck on the cheek. As we were walking up the driveway, she was laughing. ‘You really are a slut, you know. Maybe you need to have sex really soon. Get it out of your system!’

I laughed. ‘If it were only that easy. Wham, bam, over and out! But I wonder if it happens, and well, I'd love it and become addicted, or I hate it and am lost forever in my search for satisfaction.’

Becky wrapped her arm around my waist. ‘C’mon. I can talk you down.’

A third voice suddenly entered our conversation. ‘Nope. That’s not going to happen, and Becky, you are not going to be a co-conspirator in my daughter’s search to lose her virginity. Fourteen, girl!’

‘Fifteen next month, Mom.’

Becky looked at me strangely. She leaned over and whispered into my ear. “My Mom doesn’t talk to me like that.”

I shook my head, then shrugged my shoulders as if to say, what can I do about it?

Polly approached me on Wednesday. ‘C’mon out on the patio with me.’

I went straight there and waited. Polly appeared a few minutes later. She had someone bring out iced tea and chocolate chip cookies. They were warm and freshly baked.

As Polly was pouring me tea, she smiled. “Congratulations on the championship. That’s quite an accomplishment. Didn’t Doug play soccer, too?”

I nodded. “Yep. And he was hoping to try out for baseball in the Spring.”

Polly smiled. “Is Anna going to try out for softball?”

“I hope so. I think the skills are transferable. But Mom promised me some trips to the batting cages before that.”

“Good. Maybe we’ll have a batting cage built back by the garages. Now, here’s the news! I have to tell you that when we visited, and Gladys screamed, the doctors said that was the first time she showed active brain activity. So she did sense your presence.”

I shrugged and waited.

“And I’ve heard your declaration about not cooperating with the Library unless you are involved in the findings.”

I nodded.

“Well, good for you. Those ancient Vampires have forgotten their priorities and simply walk all over someone they perceive might get in their way. I’ve told them what you’ve said and how I’m going to help you stay silent. They were shocked when I took your side.”

I was shocked, too. “Thank you.”

“No, don’t thank me. I think that you have a lot to contribute, and well, look at how Pumpkin has become a valuable resource. We can’t afford to ignore anyone’s contribution. I’m tempted to just move forward on my own without their supervision.”

I looked at my Grandmother. “You go! Show them what a gifted Witch can do!”

Polly’s eyes lit up. “I’ve been thinking and want to mount a trip into the unknown lands, the Territory. I don’t think we need a large group, just a simple excursion.”

I nodded. “I agree. But let's make our first time a day trip. In and out. We don’t want to be noticed.”

“We?”

“Of course. A family trip. Home for bedtime.”

“Who are you thinking about inviting?”

“You, Luna, Becky, Pumpkin, Derek, plus your Mom and I will bring our Familiars. Oh, yes. I’m inviting my Vampire, James, too. We can cross into the Territory where Luna went in to retrieve the button.”

I was shocked, and my face showed it.

Polly smiled. “We’ll do it on Saturday, so you won’t miss school or your double date on Friday night. We’ll take my large SUV. I’ll have the cook prepare food and will buy pastries from your friend Camilla.”

Oh, great. On Saturday, we’re driving into the Territory, packing lunch and lots of living bodies. I remembered a sci-fi movie where the alien referred to people as ‘skin-bags.’ Nice, I thought. A car full of food.

Becky and I snuck up into my room and flopped down on the bed. It was nice to have a wing of my own where no one had to pass the door and see us fooling around. There was so much bliss just being in her arms and kissing her lips. It would be so easy to stick my hands in her pants and touch the familiar parts I now knew so well. But, no. I wasn’t going to take our lovemaking that far. It was so tempting, and I knew that we’d do it so well. But it was like pheromones. I was afraid of it becoming addictive all over again.

Friday night came around before we knew it. It was fun getting dressed up together at my house while we waited for our dates to pick us up. I’d already warned them that they’d have to pass the gauntlet that was Polly and Mom. I told them that they’d better be good listeners just to get us out of the house.

We were going bowling! Since I’d never been, I knew it was going to be fun, maybe even a lot more fun than dancing. And of course, that first date was a total mess. The real victim was Olivia because she felt responsible for her older brother turning out to be such a perv. And of course, the fact that his former school friends had all seen the two boys naked and performing acts you’d usually see on X-rated porn sites.

I wore soft Capris that would flow with my movements and still present a view of my backside to tempt my boys. They were soccer guys, and both had amazing bodies. And they were smart, making the dean’s list, unlike my make-out date with Greg the Golden Retriever.

Let’s see. Navy blue Capris, a white sleeveless shell, and a cute red hoodie gave me that innocent look that would pass inspection with Mom. The only bad part was the thong that I never thought I’d get used to.

Becky went the other route with thin summer tights and a skater’s skirt. She looked awesome, rocking the pastels right down to her pink-and-white sneakers. I loved her top and told her so.

When the boys picked us up, Mom was fairly gentle with them, knowing that our Familiars would keep them straight. I was looking forward to bowling, Cokes, pizza, ice cream, and making out. I kept picturing the backseat of that Jeep or maybe a blanket on the grass somewhere. I was confident that the guys would know plenty of picturesque settings for a romp.

Becky was laughing in my head. ‘You are expecting too much, hon. Don’t count on losing your virginity tonight.’

I wanted to smack the back of her head, admiring the ponytail she’d pulled up high on her head. Her red hair looked beautiful. ’Right, you are so experienced, so worldly. And let’s not forget that tomorrow we’re going to become demon hunters.’

Becky laughed. ‘With a catered lunch.’

Bowling is not that hard, but the ball’s too heavy. It’s impossible to release it where you want it to go, and it has to travel way too far before you hit anything. Other than that, simple. Except most of my balls were going into the half-pipe down each side.

My second game was better, and if my arm didn’t hurt so much, I would have mastered this whole sport by the end of the third game. Instead, I ate anything that was put in front of me. So by the end, my shoulder and arm ached, and my belly was too full. I was a slug just waiting to be picked up over Phil’s shoulder and taken out to the Jeep.

I found my second wind when the boys found us a place to park away from the bustle of Chicago. They found a nice, cool spot, where we could study the moon while Phil tried his best to get his hands in my pants. I will give him an A+ for determination, and he was a great kisser.

I sucked his lower lip and told him that his hands did not belong in my Capris tonight. But he knew how to move on the outside of my clothes enough for me to get overheated and moan aloud. I showed off my dexterity, too. I cooperated enough to keep his attention and wanted him to ask me out on a second date.

We parted with lots of kisses, but all I could think about was those onion rings lying in the bottom of my stomach, turning into a solid mass of grease. Becky’s Mom was in our house waiting when we walked in. All these adults were scanning our memories to see what had happened.

I hugged Becky goodbye and said that I’d see her and Pumpkin in the morning.
.
.
Chapter Thirty-Five
.
On Saturday afternoon, Polly announced that it was Safari time! “We’re all going to investigate the edge of the Territory where Pumpkin traveled to and came back.”

I overheard Mom questioning the safety of this trip.
“You want to go straight into the unknown. Shouldn’t we be taking precautions? Pumpkin had referred to this as the Territory. How are we going to prepare before we jump into the deep end?”

Polly had an answer. “It’s not going to be dangerous. Remember that Pumpkin is a thousand-year-old demon who has been in and out of there before. She was able to recover the tiny piece of silver from under Anna’s arch without going through Anna’s Zone. She brought it back safely, and we’ve analyzed it as a relic from our world. The scientists are holding back any more information, and I’m getting frustrated.”

Mom was the cautious one. “I think it’s foolish to go without conferring with the Library.”

“Nonsense. This is not rocket science. Pumpkin knows the way, and we’re surrounding ourselves with our own demons, too. I’ve invited James and Derek, and we’ll take our Familiars. Plus, I think it’s going to be a learning experience for Anna and Becky. And yes, I cleared it with Becky’s Mom.”

I’d forgotten that our Vamps were demons. And I knew that Mom wanted to complain. “Okay. And ultimately, exploring the Territory might further the Library’s efforts and advance their scroll investigation. “Just a day trip, in and out, right?”

Polly smiled, knowing that her daughter was finally onboard. Of course, I gave it lots of thought. I had already had a run-in with a demon who’d intended to destroy me. Just acting on instinct, our interaction hadn’t gone well. I didn’t know that I could blow up the demon by squeezing it, but evidently it had happened. It made no sense to me that something emanating from Hell could be cooked.

When I shared this experience with Polly and my Father, they thought it might be related to electricity rather than heat. We experimented with the blue bolts of electricity I could produce and wondered whether they were similar to cold fusion.

As they were going back and forth about all of this, I listened and wondered what effect it might have on me. Doug and I had become distinct personalities in my head. After I asked him to help me on the soccer field, we were talking as if we were two different people. It might have become a bit schizophrenic to be having conversations with myself, but I didn’t see any harm. But now, with me dealing with this new situation, I was being cautious.

I knew Doug was in there listening. ‘Doug, what are you thinking?’

‘I wonder about the potential powers that you haven’t discovered yet. None of it seems to affect you. So far, so good. And as far as exploring this Territory, I think it’s going to be fun. Seriously, you have the power to kill a demon. You can protect yourself and others. And now that we’re getting along better, can I ask you a question?’

I sighed. Even though we shared a brain, Doug couldn’t see my thoughts. He was just a spectator. ‘I know what you want to talk about. Sex, right?’

‘Well, sure. Let’s talk about your date with Phil.’

‘Doug, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s my life, and maybe I’m trying out new things. That’s not a crime to meet a normal guy and have a date. I did notice that you were silent all evening.'

‘Sure. I simply withdrew. Anna, there’s nothing I can add to watching you get all dressed up, put on your best underwear, dancing around, and then do all the hair and makeup stuff. It’s boring when your head is all full of boy fantasies. Just hanging with you is over the top for me. You’ve become a Hallmark Movie.’

After that, I started thinking about what Doug was doing when I took a bubble bath or fantasized under the covers before bed. ‘You’ve been spying on me, you little perv!’

‘Hardly. I can pick and choose what I watch, and honestly, your routine has become ho-hum. When you’re masturbating, you have the same fantasy every night. At first, it might have been fun to watch, but you are so Meh.’

‘And you know better about fantasies?’

‘Hey, porn is definitely a geeky guy thing! The internet provides a rainbow of stuff. You should check out Japanese adult anime. It’s called Hentai. Check out a woman making love with an octopus! All those tentacles!’

‘God! You are gross!’

‘Hey! It’s not me who’s dreaming about Derek every night. And how gross is that he’s your Mom’s boyfriend? Share that fantasy with a counselor that you want to take your Mom’s place in her bed!’

After that, I sent Doug to the back of my mind. I wasn’t ready to hear such harsh talk. After all, my fantasies were just fantasies!

It helped take my mind off what Doug had said when I helped pack for our day trip. We were headed into the Territory in Polly’s huge Lexus. It was crowded. Two Vampires, two adult Witches, and two inexperienced Witches, along with four Familiars. I laughed because the Familiars were in the way back, chowing down on whatever Polly’s cooks had sent along for them. It smelled like roast chicken.

We drove about thirty miles outside of Chicago. When we neared the shores of Lake, Pumpkin directed us to turn off the road and into a dense forest. There was no path, so we twisted and turned so many times that I started to feel car sick. When I was about to scream to let me out, Pumpkin announced that we had arrived.

Arrived? I looked out the window. We’d come through the forest, and it did look different. No tall trees, no sounds. No birds, no traffic, no jets overhead. We’d gone from a large city to empty space. It was eerie.

We stopped, and everyone climbed out. In front of us was rough, hilly, sandy ground with the occasional rock and stunted pine. But the lake was nowhere to be seen. It was definitely all alien-looking. The sky was different shades of grays and blacks. And didn’t help that it was misty. Polly handed each of us a thin raincoat, and we started to walk. Luna had informed us that no vehicles would work in the Territories.

We walked for a long time. Becky and I were used to running five miles each day with the soccer team. But here the ground was uneven and rocky, making it hard to find a rhythm.

After we’d walked for more than an hour, Polly signaled us to a stop. I saw a figure heading directly toward us. He was jogging.

As he grew closer, I could tell that he was big, maybe nine feet tall. And he was built like a weight lifter with sizable muscles bulging everywhere on his bright blue skin. I drew in my breath because it was no secret that this was a demon. My last contact with a demon didn’t go well. I was still thinking about how the last guy wanted to kill me. I heard Doug exclaim, ‘Hey, this is so cool. This guy is totally for real!’

I wasn’t ready to be a fanboy with little Doug. ’Shut up, dipshit. He’s a monster!’

Doug was making all sorts of noises. ’This is sooo much better than a video game. Great work, Anna!’

We all stood our ground and waited.

He stopped about twenty feet from us and waved one of his six arms. Then he spoke in perfect English. “Hey, gang. Which one of you is Anna Bradford?”

I tentatively held up my hand, thinking he was coming after me, yelling out some crazy thing like, “You killed my Father!” But he didn’t move closer.

“I’m Malfas, and before we start, I need to say that I’m not here to start trouble or threaten anyone. We all know what Anna did to Gladys’ demon, and I would prefer to stay alive and not be blown up and stomped to death.”

Everyone was staring at me. I shrugged and realized that I already had a reputation among demons.

My Grandmother stepped forward and faced Malfas. “I am Polly Bradford. We have no intention of threatening anyone. This is a fact-finding mission, and we are just here for the afternoon. After that, we are returning home.”

Malfas looked pained. “You’re just here for a few hours? You are not staying?”

“Correct, Malfas.”

He paused and stared. It looked like Malfas was relaying all of this information to someone else. Maybe he was just a messenger talking to whoever was making the decisions. “Fine. We will provide you with safe passage while you are here. Unfortunately, we do have a security problem. There are roving bands of demons who would see you as prey or toys, but we will discourage them from eating you.”

Polly crossed her arms. “And how do you plan on protecting us?”

Malfas pointed toward the sky. When I looked up, I could see six dragons flying our way, big dragons, like the size of dinosaurs with wings.

Derek stepped up to the front of our group. Then, he made himself known and stared at Malfas. “Tell the dragons to keep their distance.”

Malfas looked up at Derek. Suddenly, his eyes widened with recognition, then with fear. He fell to his knees and bowed his head. “I am sorry, Daeva. I did not see you there. I humbly apologize for any disrespect I might have caused.”

We all turned and looked at Derek. This Derek, who was called Daeva, was different. He no longer looked dashingly handsome like a GQ model. His features were more pronounced and sharpened. He looked much bigger, maybe seven feet tall, and much more menacing. I kept having to remind myself that Vampires were demons, too. And now, we discovered that he had a demon name, too.

All I could do was look. I was afraid of saying anything. First, I’d been singled out as a demon slayer, and now the demon was suddenly humbled by Derek, my Mom’s lover. Everything was different.

When Derek spoke, even his voice sounded different. It was deeper and more threatening. This was a real demon, not like the handsome Vampire I’d been having fantasies about. “Malfas, rise. Thank you for the respect, but you should know that you are also in the presence of Jahl.”

Malfas looked upwards and started to shake. Looking at him, it seemed like he was shrinking as he turned to James. James had stepped back to reveal his true form. He was much taller, maybe eight feet tall, and had huge wings sticking out of his back! Jahl was darker, looking like a devil, with horns protruding from his head. As he stared at Malfas, he seemed to be contemplating evil things.

Malfas prostrated himself on the ground and almost looked like he was weeping. “Please forgive me, oh masters! No one mentioned that true giants were accompanying the Witches and their Familiars. I beg that you end my life for my ignorance.”

I watched an evil look grow on James’ face until he glanced at me and winked. It was so crazy to realize that our Vampires were huge and evil-looking demons among their own kind. Around us, and with Polly and Mom, they were teddy bears.

James’ voice rumbled. “Rise, Malfas. You may live to see the next sunrise. Just remember that these Witches and their Familiars are my friends and deserve the utmost respect. You are to accompany them and ensure their safety.”

After agreeing and bowing repeatedly, Malfas began leading us inland towards the mountains. I realized the mountains were miles away. It was just how Pumpkin had described. The mountains were covered with thunderstorms. I could see the huge bolts of lightning. As we walked, Polly addressed the demon. “Malfas, tell me about the fairies’ shiny trinkets that they left for Anna.”

Malfas turned and nodded. “Yes, yes. The fairies snuck right into the dragon’s nests and stole their trinkets, which infuriated them. Some of the fairies were captured, and the dragons are holding them hostage.”

I interrupted, thinking about those little fireflies worrying they might get hurt. “What will happen to them? Were they killed?”

“The dragons will take the fairies to court and demand some form of compensation. They will probably hold the captured fairies until the court rules. After the court rules, they will make proper restitution and be set free.”

Mom looked straight at the demon. “The shiny trinkets, what is their source?”

“Dragons have always been attracted to shiny things. They still cover the Territory searching out and collecting what interests them. Long ago, dragons would venture forth into your world and steal from human beings. But those same humans started killing them, and they retreated back to the Territory.”

Doug was freaking out inside my head. ‘Oh, Anna! This is so cool. Huge demons, flying fire-breathing dragons. This place is awesome. Do you think we could ride a dragon?’

I was doing my best to shut him up. Doug was starting to remind me of a little brother that you had to babysit. ‘Enough! Stop being a pest.’

Mom turned to me. “This is a dead end. I don’t see any threats emanating from the Territory.”

Malfas looked frightened. “Well, we have no control over the outlaw groups that roam the Territory. No one can stop the bandits. But no one else sees a point in attacking your party. You are a strong, capable group.”

Polly looked at Malfas. “Is anyone else interested in talking to us?”

Malfas shrugged. “No one expected your group to arrive today. But a scheduling secretary will be coming out to greet you very soon.”

As he finished talking, a shadow appeared over their heads, and suddenly, a smaller bright yellow demon landed near us. He was four feet tall and had a long tail. He bowed to the visiting demons and nodded. “Greetings to all of our visitors. We are honored to see Jahl and Daeva. Please let us know how we can help.”

Polly looked at our Vampires waiting to see if they had anything else to add. After they both shook their heads, Polly turned back to the smaller demon who was folding his wings away. “We would like to understand the geography of the Territories. Do you have a cartographer who can provide us with maps and give us a summary of where we are visiting?”

The small demon was standing there relaying what Polly had said to someone else. “Yes, we will do that. While you are waiting, allow us to provide you with comfort. Would you like to try some of our local cuisine?”

Derek interrupted. “We would appreciate seats while we are waiting. Jahl will fly back to our vehicle and bring us food and drink.” He then turned to us. ‘I don’t know what effect their cuisine will have on your digestive system.’

Doug was getting excited. ‘Hey! I want to see what demons eat!’

I reminded him that our Familiars were demons and they ate anything with a pulse. ‘I’m not eating a rat, Doug!’

As we were standing there, two more flying demons brought us several cushions to relax on. By that time, James had flown back with snacks and drinks. While everyone was eating, I walked away with Becky and leaned in close to whisper. “It’s nice to know that we don’t have to go through my head to get here.”

Becky was grinning when she gushed, “Oh, my god! Our Vampires are so amazing and powerful, and they’re gods! I want to get naked with James! Those horns!”

I was surprised when an arm wrapped around my waist, and Mom’s voice carried to both Becky and me. “Okay, teenies, you are getting too carried away with your fangirl adorations. Our Vampires are here because they want to be. But remember that they’d rather be with us than living in the Territory.”

Naively, I asked, “Why?”

Mom smiled. “They’d rather spend time with a beautiful Witch than a demon.”

Becky and I moved away from everyone. I asked her. “How tight do we have to shutter ourselves, so no one will hear us?”

Becky shook her head. “I don’t think that we can. These are the most powerful beings that exist.”

Suddenly, James’ cultured voice entered our heads. ‘There are some demons that think they are more powerful than us, but other than the Devil himself, I think our group is pretty scary.’

Doug got excited. ’A demon fight? For real?’

‘James, do demons fight each other?’

‘A demon would only challenge something they think they could destroy. And when Anna disintegrated a large demon, they all witnessed it.’

‘How?’

‘Evidently, the demon was broadcasting the whole confrontation, thinking it would be entertaining. So all demons witnessed you commit murder.’

‘Murder? That was self-defense!’

‘Well, they all saw you attack and kill the demon. Then they saw you stomp and squash his essence. You scared them.’

No matter what I believed had happened, the demons feared me. I couldn’t win.

I watched Polly, Mom, and the cartographer talk for about an hour. When they finished, he handed them all the maps. After that, I asked him what he knew about the ancient scrolls stored in the Library.

The cartographer smiled. “We have been in the Library hundreds of times. The dragons collect ancient scrolls. If you want, we can arrange a meet and a swap.”

“Swap?”

“Of course. Shiny objects for scrolls. Just let me know when.” With that, he unfolded his wings and flew away.

I asked James. “Why was that demon small and yellow?”

“She’s female.”

After getting over my surprise, I realized what Mom meant.

We were getting ready to leave when Malfas asked us to wait. “A roving group of bandits has been spotted and will cross your path on your way to your vehicle. Three dragons will intercept them in a few minutes.”

We turned and watched. We weren’t close enough to see details, but three large dragons swooped down in formation and started burning up a circle about a quarter mile wide. Malfas narrated. “They’ve trapped the bandits and are forcing them into a tight pen until they will be burned to death.”

We watched, and I knew Doug was enjoying this the most. Burning demons were not that exciting anymore, and the smell was terrible. My last experience with burning Gladys’ demon ruined everything I wore, and it took a lot of scrubbing to get the smell out of my hair.
.
.
Chapter Thirty-Six
.
The ride home was quiet. Since Polly was pleased, we all celebrated. Becky and I were sitting all the way in the back seat with the two Vampires right in front of us. I kept staring at Derek and James’ necks and shoulders. From where I sat, the demons were gone, and they were just beautiful Vampires again.

An hour ago, they were neither beautiful nor men. They were demons, huge muscular demons. Did I mention scary? They were reading my thoughts, and finally Derek turned around and smiled at me. Suddenly, his eyes turned deep red, cat-like, demon eyes. And just as quickly as he did that, his eyes became normal again. He was smiling at me the whole time.

I pouted, leaned in to him, and whispered. “You’re a tease, Derek. You just enjoy twisting me all up inside, don’t you?”

He reached back with his hand and wiggled his fingers. He smiled at me, “You are your mother’s daughter. I love your mother very much. And it is hard not to love you, too.”

Mom was sitting in the front seat listening to our dialogue. “Derek, slow down. The three of us are not a family, and my daughter is not your child. I understand that you have a lot of love to share, but she is fourteen! That means hands off. But you certainly looked amazing today. I’ve never seen you in true demon form. I felt proud today that you are mine.”

I burst out in complaint. “Almost fifteen, Mom. Next month!” Impulsively, I reached out and touched the Vampire’s fingertips. With that simple connection, a rush of electricity ran straight through my hand, through my arm, and straight to my heart. Everything in my body buzzed, and I almost gasped out loud.

Suddenly, a slap roared through my mind, and my Mom shouted, “Anna! Stop this! Stop flaunting your precocious behavior and settle down. Do I have to lock you in the tower and throw away the key? We all know how you feel, and all of us have experienced the same feelings.”

I did not like being scolded and felt the tears forming in my eyes. Wiping them quickly, I shut them. I wanted to blame Derek because he was a tease. But I knew it was my brain that was short-circuiting. I don’t know if anybody else would have been able to handle all of this.

I looked at Becky, who was sitting next to me. She reached out and squeezed my hand. I was determined not to cry. Looking at her and not in my Mom’s direction, I mouthed the word, “fuck”.

Becky leaned in. “Anna, you definitely have too much energy. With soccer over, we have to find something to do every day to burn off all of what’s building up inside you. Let’s join a gym that has an indoor running track and weights. We can be workout partners.”

Suddenly, Polly directed her voice back to us. “Great idea, Becky. I know just the place for you, two. But you also need a trainer to design a program for you.”

I whispered, “I want to start going to the batting cages, too. But you are so right. We can hitch a ride straight to the gym after class.”

We drove away from the Territory and back into the forest. Eventually, we were back on the highway, cruising along like it was just another family outing. The only difference was the armful of maps Polly held tightly in her hands.

I heard Doug’s voice in my head. ‘That was great. So much fun. And did you see how frightened that demon was of you? I think he thought you might kill him on the spot, too. And then, when Derek and James just let it all hang out. Wow. Tell me how cool they looked. Great adventure, Anna. We’ve come a long way since you burst out of your shell.’

Out of my shell. Doug was right. I was definitely growing. ‘I’m glad you had fun, Doug. And thank you for keeping yourself under control.’

‘Hey, speaking of control. You really have it bad for Derek. What did you think of his demon form? And I saw the way he winked at you in the car. He really loves seeing how worked up he can get you. Does he have a thing for you?’

I tried to ignore Doug, but Derek’s demon form, well, did get me going. ‘I thought his demon form was scary, but so breathtaking. Do you think he never shows Mom his real form? Can you believe how huge he is.’

‘I wonder if he uses his demon strength when they’re together?’

‘Uh, Doug, stop. I’m already in the dog house talking about all this stuff, so we’ve gotta drop it.’

‘Later, girl, later.’

A couple of weeks later, I’d settled into a routine. School, Monday through Friday; the gym every afternoon; hanging with my Witchy women on Saturday; and training with Polly and my Father on Sundays. It was okay. I did have the occasional date with Phil. He seemed satisfied with dating his almost fifteen-year-old, even though he wasn’t getting into my pants. But we found other ways that could gross out Doug.

And the only thing that was going to break up this weekly routine was going to be the best birthday party ever! Polly said I could invite all of my friends, and I immediately thought of all the Witches we’d been hanging with on Saturday afternoons. And of course, they wanted to bring along some human boys, too.

I finally decided to invite Phoebee with two e’s. I approached her in the hall and found her and her three friends. As I approached slowly, one of her friends spotted me and gave her an elbow. I saw her turn and look down her nose at me.

I smiled and waited for her to recognize me. I took a breath and said, “Phoebee, would you and your friends like to attend my fifteenth birthday party? I was hoping you could invite some of your friends, too. Polly said that it was okay.”

She stared at me and frowned as if to say, " Who are you? But then, realizing who I was and when she heard the word “party," she paid more attention. “Are those beautiful men going to be there?”

I nodded. “Uh-huh. Mom’s boyfriend, my Father, and Polly’s boyfriend will be there, too.”

“Are they all that yummy?”

I grinned. “Yep.”

Phoebee frowned and made a face. “Do I have to buy you a present?”

“Oh, no. No presents. Polly doesn’t like it when people leave anything behind at our house. Maybe I should make up a gift bag for everyone who comes.”

Phoebee thought for a minute. “Okay, I’m bringing seven people. Can you handle it?”

I nodded. “Sure, it’s a big place. I’ll text you the address.”

She had already turned and walked away. As I watched her and her three friends, I smiled. They all walked like runway fashion models, lifting their feet like horses. I loved watching them prance. So pretentious. ‘What do you think of them, Doug?’

‘They’re hot, but so stuck up. I can’t picture them being much fun to hang with.’

When I told Becky, she reminded me to tell everyone else that we’d have more humans attending, too.

Mom insisted we have a cake and sweets. Polly wanted it catered properly with appetizers, beverages, and light fare. Mom wanted to hang a banner that said Happy Birthday. I did agree to all of it because they said it was okay to invite Richard. He and Polly had been getting along better since they’d both been tutoring me on Sundays. I was excited to have my Father there in a relaxed situation.

Polly and I went shopping, and she helped me pick out a party dress. Becky came along for moral support, and Polly even outfitted her with everything she wanted. I was glad Polly was behind my dress because it was much more sophisticated than I would have gotten on my own. It was a beautiful blue that accented my eyes and my skin tone. Polly said she’d make arrangements for Becky and me to get to the salon for the works.

On the day of the party, everyone attended. We were all inside the big living room. Polly had opened all the patio doors and put out big heaters to keep us comfortable outside. She had hired a piano player to play her baby grand. We had a bartender, several people walking around offering appetizers, and a buffet where this guy was making custom sandwiches. I was happy that all my Witchy friends brought dates. Becky and I suspected that they were controlling their dates using pheromones, which seemed harmless since they only had eyes for their Witch.

Doug was watching the Witches and the guys. ‘I don’t know, Anna. It doesn’t seem right that they’re manipulating those guys’ minds using Witchy power. Do these guys know that they are dating Witches?’

‘I doubt it, but I don’t know. I’ve never tried to keep a guy under control. What would I do with Phil? I already have my hands full just keeping him out of my pants.’

‘Couldn’t you control his mind?’

‘Maybe. But I don’t want to date a robot. I need a little spirit.

‘Oh, yeah. Phil’s agenda and yours are different. But I guess that’s the difference between a guy and you.’

‘Doug, are you sad that you’re stuck at fourteen and won’t celebrate your fifteenth birthday?’

‘Nah. Fourteen is a perfect age. All fun, no responsibility, and most importantly, I don’t get in trouble anymore. But Anna, did you invite Phil?’

‘I did. But we’re just dating. He’s fun to talk to and all. But I’m not feeling more than that.’

‘Well, maybe that’s good. You certainly can’t handle another Derek crush.’

Naturally, Phoebee and her gang arrived fashionably late. She’d brought four guys with her posse. James greeted them all at the door. With his English accent and his impeccable manners, all the girls were instantly smitten. I was sure that after they met my Father and Derek, things would get even more interesting. Phoebee was all eyes, looking everywhere. I’m sure Polly’s house left them breathless. And Mom had given the two Vampires and my Father permission to open their screens and release a bit of pheromones. Naturally, Polly was everywhere, dousing all the boys with her strong scent.

Phoebee came up and grabbed my arm to steady herself. “Oh, my God! Bradford, this place is an estate, and all these people are movie stars! Even your friends are all beautiful. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You are the best!”

It was obvious that she’d already overdosed on pheromones five minutes after she’d walked in and would need to be chaperoned for the rest of the afternoon. Mom told me it was my job to keep an eye on her.

‘Anna, just keep her from taking her clothes off and doing lewd dances in front of everybody. Reading her mind, it’s obvious she’s going to be a full-time party girl when she’s done with high school. I’ll bet she is prenant twice before she’s twenty.’

‘Mom, can you help me here? I think all the humans are totally losing it.’ All of Phoebee’s girls were all over their boyfriends, and I honestly worried that this was going to turn into some kind of birthday orgy. The boys were all overdosed on Polly’s pheromones, and their eyes were already rolling in their heads.

Looking at my Mom, she smiled. ‘Ten minutes from now, they’ll all be exhausted and sleeping it off.

I looked over to see Phoebee dancing with Luna, swinging her around in the air. This was a great show. Two E’s was holding my fluffy cat and swaying in an open space. I think that Phoebee thought that they were waltzing together.

Luna caught my eye. ‘Oh, Anna. This is so much fun. I feel like I’m in a Disney movie with Cinderella. Look at us, we are floating!’

‘I’m glad you’re having fun, Luna. Just watch out. Phoebee could just pass out from overdosing on pheromones and drop you.’

‘Nah, we’re having fun. I’ve been very careful and only had to keep her upright a few times. She’s crazy wonderful!’

I could take a deep breath because Luna was chaperoning Phoebee and keeping her out of trouble. I smiled and tried not to laugh out loud at Phobee totally losing it. I wish I made a video to save for her. If she saw her glassy eyes and the bit of drool coming out of the corner of her mouth, well, I could have blackmailed her for life. I spoke to my Familiar. ‘When you’ve had enough, bite or scratch her.’

Mom immediately intervened. ‘No. When you are tired of being treated like a stuffed animal, I will come rescue you.’

‘Oh, no. Seriously, this is cool. This girl is so high that I’m getting a contact buzz. It’s great. I’ve never had my own human to play with. I like it. But she is going to be hurting for at least a week from this hangover.’

I watched Phoebee off in her own world, humming and waltzing with my Familiar. The other Familiars were all hiding or made themselves invisible. But Luna was encouraging Phoebee to feed her bits of the seafood appetizers as often as she demanded them. Phoebee was doing anything Luna asked. I wondered how much she’d remember about the party.

In the meantime, Doug was having a blast watching all the senior girls becoming wasted on pheromones. He thought it was hysterical.

Soon, the guys who came with Phoebee had fallen asleep out on the patio. They’d all overdosed on Polly’s scent and were sleeping it off.

Finally, Mom arranged for a stretch limo to take the eight humans home. I had to give the driver their addresses because none of them were in any shape to talk or drive. It was easy to pop into Phoebee’s head and get the addresses from her phone.

Polly gave the driver instructions to drive around with the windows open for an hour to let the humans breathe fresh air. Mom had assured me that their pheromone overdose was not detectable like drugs and alcohol, so even the angriest of parents couldn’t hold us responsible.

After the humans left, everyone relaxed and just hung out. My Witchy girls loved flirting with the men, but they understood what was happening. None of them was making a fool of themselves. They were enjoying the bliss.

The Witchy women let Polly have her way with their dates, and we watched them trip all over their feet trying to clamor for my Grandmother’s attention. Eventually, Polly tucked them in outside under the heaters and gave each of them a blanket.

We sat around and stuffed ourselves with party food and sodas. Everyone agreed that it was a great birthday party and a big success. But we all decided to invite Phoebee to every party and make sure we’d dosed her with pheromones as entertainment.